Juror Psychology: From Jury Box to Witness Stand

Why do jurors behave the way they do in jury selection? How do jurors evaluate a witness' credibility? Why do jurors ultimately make the decisions they do? In the first part of her Jury Psychology series, practiced jury consultant, Jocelyn Cinquino, J.D., M.A., takes experience from hundreds of jury trials to review the cognitive processes jurors use to understand, evaluate and retain information throughout even the earliest stages of trial.

Preparing for a jury trial becomes complete when psychological research findings are used to understand how jurors’ life experiences and attitudes shape their approach to jury selection and how they form impressions of the witnesses. With guidance on how to be mindful of what motivates your ultimate audience, how to recognize their expectations and meet their needs, this course offers a practical application of the science behind juror decision-making.

Learning Objectives:

I.   Examine core juror psychology research

II.  Identify impact of jurors’ behaviors and attitudes on voir dire and jury selection process

III. Grasp jurors’ processing of witness testimony and determination of credibility

IV. Apply research to prepare for jury selection and trial testimony

Program Director: Sigalle Barness